


De Claris Protector

by TransformersG1fan271



Series: Uncharted Treasure Family [6]
Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: just two very traumatized brothers, this is not a shipping fic, who need all the hugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:07:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23456782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TransformersG1fan271/pseuds/TransformersG1fan271
Summary: Samuel Drake finally breaks, and Nathan is there to help him.
Series: Uncharted Treasure Family [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1688209
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	De Claris Protector

**Author's Note:**

> This is not a shipping fic, this is just two close brothers. Please don't think it's anything its not.

The scream that pierced the lull of the late-night ocean sent a shiver down Nathan’s spine. He was out of bed and running before his body registered being upright, yanking open the door to the guest room. Accustomed to years of crawling around in dark ruins and caves, Nathan easily made out the writhing form of his brother. Sam looked like he was trying to break free of something, Nathan nearly jumping across the room and grabbing his hands. Sam’s breathing grew more ragged as he tried to kick Nathan away, face one of pure panic.

_ “Sam wake up! It’s me, Nathan!” _ Nathan kept wrestling with his brother, trying to keep him pinned to avoid potential harm.  _ “Open your eyes, Sam, I’m right here!” _ It felt like hours before Sam started to register what Nathan was saying, glazed look in his eye fading as he began to wake.

_ “Sam, are you wi-”  _ Nathan was cut off when Sam jerked forward and hugged his brother tightly. For a moment brother embraced brother, Nathan resting one hand on the back of Sam’s head, his other arm around his waist.  _ “I’ve got you…” _ It wasn’t often that Sam was caught completely off-guard, the older brother trembling in Nathan’s arms. Sam eventually pulled back, eyes a slight red as he wiped away errant tears.

_ “Are you gonna be okay?” _ Nathan asked in slight concern, Sam shrugging as he hugged his legs close to his chest. For a few minutes, only the lull of the ocean from beyond the window broke the silence as Sam composed himself. Nathan sat cross-legged beside Sam, beginning to talk about the last dive he had gone on. Learning to ground one’s self had been a tough lesson for Nathan back in the day. The pre-teen had times, where living from place to place, dealing with the underbelly of society took a toll on someone his age. Sam had always been patient however, slowly teaching Nathan how to bottle everything up and release it in constructive ways. The easiest way for Nathan to ground himself, to center his emotions before continuing on was just to sit with Sam. Be it on his bike, or on some shitty hotel bed, his brother was Nathan’s center for peace. For Sam, it was to listen to Nathan talk. Didn’t matter what he was talking about, just hearing how excited, curious, or awed he was had always settled Sam’s nerves.

When they lost each other, neither brother had taken it well.

For Nathan, he would climb as high as possible and just tetter on the edge. He would close his eyes and just listen to his surroundings, only leaving each session with sorrow in his heart. More than once he had fallen, forcing a bitter laugh if someone happened to see him. It wasn’t the same, not without hearing Sam sometimes mumble about their latest issue, or flick his lighter in a steady rhythm. It hadn’t been until Sam’s return that, for the first time, Elena had seen Nathan calm and unguarded. Seeing her husband half-curled on the couch, his body language one of complete peace, as he poured over some research for Sam, had been almost amazing. 

Sam had never been able to ground himself in the 13 years he had been imprisoned. Whatever he felt was taken out in beatings, emotions forced down deep and locked away. He couldn’t show weakness, he couldn’t show that he felt more than just sarcasm and disinterest in the world. Scars littered his hands and neck, some self-inflicted while others were carved into his skin, and yet not a tear nor cry ever escaped him. Of course, all that pushback had set Sam into a rut, only shedding his first tears when he thought Nathan was going to die. He was going to die, and it would have been all Sam’s fault.

Ever since Libertalia, Sam wasn’t able to hold back anymore. He wasn’t sure if Nathan knew, but Sam would always be within earshot of his brother just to hear him talk. If he wasn’t, Sam would wander off until he was unseen by the world, beating his knuckles raw under some overpass. Sam felt ashamed, despite knowing these actions were the very same he had warned Nathan about doing all those years ago.

_ “I’m glad you kept goin’.” _ Nathan paused mid-sentence, glancing over as he felt Sam lean against his side.  _ “I wouldn’t have.” _

_ “Sam…” _ Nathan frowned, reaching out to take hold of his brothers’ hand.  _ “I almost didn’t.”  _ He felt the elder stiffen, just for a moment, before letting out a shuddering breath.

_ “You always told me to be honest about this sort of stuff...and it’s gotten easier.” _ Nathan wasn’t being entirely honest, knowing Elena still knew so little before they had met.  _ “Had he not forced me straight to Scotland...I was considering just shooting my brains out. I didn’t know what I was going to do, because it had always been us. Sully had to beat the crap out of me before I realized that it would be a damn waste...that I needed to carry on for you. I know you’ve always been there for me, but let me be here for you this time. No judgment, no remarks, no jokes, just...let me help you share that cross on your back.”  _ Sam wanted so desperately to tell Nathan that he was fine, that he would be fine and that this didn’t just happen.

Instead, a sob that had been lodged in his throat sounded out, and Nathan’s presence by his side now was his anchor to the world. Nathan didn’t hesitate to hold Sam close, protecting him as he cried.

It was his turn to be the protector, his turn to comfort Sam as he cried.


End file.
